SAN DIEGO _ The Twins needed a strong outing from their starter. And Ervin Santana provided it by pitching a complete game.
They also needed someone to get their offense going. And Santana did that too.
Santana's two-run single in a four-run second inning provided the game's first runs, and Santana pitched a four-hitter in the Twins' 5-2 win over the Padres.
"Not trying to do too much, and keeping the ball down for the most part," Santana said. "They were very aggressive, and I just tried to keep the ball down."
Santana (12-7) gave up a two-run homer to Jose Pirela in the fourth inning. He struck out nine, throwing 108 pitches. It was his longest outing since July 5, when he tossed a complete game at the Angels, but was also his major league leading fifth complete game.
Miguel Sano hit his 25th home run as the Twins split the two game series at Petco Park. It also allowed them to end their eight-game road trip on a winning note.
The trip, during which the Twins went 2-6, sent them reeling out of the playoff race. They left for the West Coast in third place in the AL Central, 2{ games behind Cleveland. They return six games back in the division and four games back _ behind nine clubs _ for the final wild card spot. While teams have come back from larger deficits, the Twins have not won more than four consecutive games all season. And they have weakened their roster by trading away starter Jaime Garcia and closer Brandon Kintzler.
They vow not to give up on the season.
"You have to dig deep," Twins manager Paul Molitor said before the game. "We are in a little bit of a tough spot here but we have a chance to go out there and try to salvage something on this trip and go home with a win."
Sano led off the second with a single to left. Two outs later, Jorge Polanco doubled to right-center. That brought up Santana, who stroked the first pitch from Luis Perdomo to right for a two-run single.
Santana also drove in two runs on June 9 in San Francisco. In fact, Santana has five RBI in interleague play, tying the single season major league record for a pitcher while setting an American League record.
Joe Mauer followed Santana with a walk, then Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run single to give the Twins a 4-0 lead.
Pirela's homer in the fourth made the score 4-2, but Sano hit a 434-foot home run in the sixth to give the Twins a 5-2 lead.
